Light Yagami, Shinigami in Training
by AngelG93
Summary: Ryuk grants Light a second chance to act as Kira... as a shinigami. T for language, violence, and the general dark aura of Death Note...
1. Part 1

LIGHT YAGAMI, SHINIGAMI IN TRAINING

PART ONE

Light Yagami ran as hard as his weary legs would carry him. His right arm swung uselessly at his side while hot blood dripped from his limp fingertips. The places where the four bullets had pierced his skin stung so badly that he couldn't help but yell in pain and frustration.

_Why? _He inwardly demanded of the universe. _Why did everything go wrong when I was so close – **so close** – to killing Near? It just isn't fair! They can't understand, not even Matsuda, that traitorous bastard!_

Thoughts of Light's life before the Death Note whizzed through his mind. How **peaceful** that innocent time had been – but also, how **boring**. Light didn't regret picking up that notebook all those years ago, all he regretted was not giving Near's intelligence full credit. He had been too lax, too trusting, and now he was paying for it with every drop of his blood.

With each shaky breath sending another jolt of pain throughout his body, Light stumbled into a nearby warehouse. Through his blurred vision, he saw a staircase with a railing, and sitting on the railing was-

"Ryuk!" Light's cry of surprise echoed off of the rust-covered walls of sheet metal.

"Hey," the shinigami said calmly – flippantly even. After a moment of pause, he added, "Well, Light, looks like you lost."

"Don't remind me!" Light snapped.

Then, an idea hit him.

"Ryuk...kill them. **Please!** Please, kill them all for me!"

The shinigami stared at Light for a moment, then he threw his head back and laughed. "Kill them...for **you!** Sorry, kid, but I won't do that."

Light fell onto his knees, gazing at Ryuk in shock. "But...why **not**?"

"It's not my place to go around killing people just because one human asks me to. Besides, that might lengthen your life – if only for a few minutes – and I have no intention of dying on your behalf."

Dragging himself toward Ryuk, Light grasped the shinigami's ankle. Tears poured down his grime-streaked face.

Ryuk groaned, rolling his eyes. "Look, Light, do you remember when we first met? I promised you that I would be the one to write your name in my notebook. That's part of the agreement between a shinigami who brings a Death Note to the human world and the first human who picks it up."

Light's eyes widened in fear as Ryuk held up a red pen, its metal tip glistening in the early evening light.

"If you're arrested and put in prison," Ryuk continued, "who knows how long it'll take you to die, and – **honestly** – I don't want to wait that long."

He whipped out a black notebook, opened it, and thumbed through the pages. "So...it ends here. This is where you'll die."

"...No...no, no, no..." Too tired to hold his head up any longer, Light leaned forward, letting his forehead rest against Ryuk's slender leg. He choked back a few sobs. "I don't want to die, Ryuk. As a user of a Death Note, I can't go to Heaven or Hell, which means I'll just cease to exist, right?"

"Pretty much."

"**Please**, Ryuk...isn't there any other way? Isn't there **something** else you can do?"

Light looked up into Ryuk's bulbous red eyes. He could feel those yellow pupils penetrating his skull – no, his very soul. The shinigami sighed, and Light noticed a trace of pity in his luminous gaze.

"It's been fun, kid," he said at last.

Light watched in horror as Ryuk wrote his name in the Death Note. He didn't have to see the words on the page to know what was coming. Out of habit, Light's gaze drifted to his watch.

10 seconds. 20, 30, 37, 38, 39...

Right on cue, Light felt a sharp pain in his chest. He fell sideways, his head clanging against a stair. Darkness crept into the edges of his vision. He couldn't move, he couldn't even breathe.

_This is really the end_, he thought as his eyelids drooped shut.

* * *

Everything was dark and cold. Light figured this must be how nothingness felt. The strange thing was, he could swear that he could hear Ryuk's voice above him.

"Hey, Light. How long you gonna just lie there? Open your eyes and get up, already."

_But_, Light wondered,_ I don't exist, so how could I open my eyes? Well, I guess I don't have anything to lose by trying._

To his own surprise, Light could indeed open his eyes. This discovery shocked him so intensely that he sat bolt upright before he realized it.

"But..." Light gaped, holding his trembling hands in front of his face, "You **killed** me, didn't you?"

"Sure did," answered Ryuk without delay.

Light stood. At first, he was unsure whether his legs would support him, but he found himself feeling strangely weightless. He looked down at his now-clean shirt and felt his torso for the bullet-holes which were no longer there.

It was only **then** that he noticed the corpse.

"Eeaaagh!" Light screamed, scrambling back and sitting hard on an upper stair. Near the bottom of the staircase was what looked like his own body!

"What is that!" Light demanded.

"Quit freaking out already," Ryuk chided, motioning with his hands that Light should calm down. "I'll explain everything once we get outta sight."

Light raised an eyebrow. "Why do we need to get out of sight?"

"Cuz I think the cops and those SPK guys are closing in on us."

"Ryuk! I want to know why I'm seeing my own dead body! **Now**!"

Ryuk shrugged his shoulders. "OK, fine. I **know** you know how a shinigami can **die**, but I never bothered telling you how a shinigami is **born**, did I?"

The panic in Light's throat subsided, and his brain started working normally.

"Are you saying that **I'm**-"

"We can chit-chat later, Light. Right now, we need to move!"

Before Light could make any resistance, Ryuk rushed forward, wrapped his spindly arms around Light's waist, and hoisted him into the air. Once they quietly alighted on a higher landing of the staircase, Light extricated himself from Ryuk's grip. He could hear noises and voices below, so he peered over the edge of the platform.

"Oh, God..." Aizawa breathed. "Hey, Matsuda! I found him!"

Matsuda rushed to Aizawa's side. When he saw the body, his fists trembled with anger.

"It's really over, then. I'm just glad **I** was the one to kill him."

"Don't sound so proud about it. I can't help but feel a **little** sorry for him, at least for the Chief's sake, y' know?"

"He tricked the Chief, Aizawa. If not for Kira, Chief Yagami wouldn't have died! Light was a disgrace to his father, and I'm **glad** he's finally dead."

"Well, I'm gonna go let Near know."

"No need," came a small, cynical voice. "I'm already here."

Light turned away from the conversation below to look at Ryuk.

"Okay," he said, keeping his volume low. "I'd like some more answers now."

"Fine, fine."

The shinigami sat cross-legged facing Light and tossed him his Death Note. Puzzled, Light opened it and found the most recent page. Scrawled in Ryuk's thin handwriting was the entry: _Light __Yagami – at the instant of death, he will become a shinigami_.

Light gaped at these words, then at Ryuk.

"It's really that simple? Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"Well, see, a shinigami can only choose one human to become a new shinigami in his entire lifetime, so I didn't think it was important enough to mention to you."

"So, then," Light licked his lips as he began to consider all the glorious possibilities of his new situation, "Will I have all the perks of a shinigami now?"

"Eventually, yeah, but the transformation doesn't happen all at once. I don't know many details about how this works, since it's such a rare thing. Obviously, we know that you've taken a form identical to that of your human body, but over time, you'll learn how to change your appearance however you want. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine."

"What?" Light asked in exasperation. "But, wouldn't you know about what comes next from when this happened to you?"

Ryuk shrugged his shoulders again. "I became a shinigami thousands of human years ago. How am I supposed to remember the details?"

"I don't even immediately get my own Death Note?"

"Hmm...that would make sense..." Ryuk pondered. "But, you could always nab the one that Near kid has down there. Oh, wait, forget that."

"Huh? Why?"

"Humans are probably still able to see you."

Light flopped onto his back and groaned. "Seriously!" Then, he realized his mistake. The conversation with Ryuk had made him forget to keep quiet. If humans could still hear him...

"Hey, did you hear something just now?" Aizawa asked.

"Definitely," Near replied. "Someone's above us."

"Maybe it's just the shinigami," Matsuda suggested halfheartedly.

"Well, I'm gonna go find out."

Light heard Aizawa start to climb the staircase. Cursing under his breath, he turned to Ryuk.

"What now?"

Ryuk stood. "Get on my back and hang on tight. I have an idea."

Light nodded. After scrambling behind the tall shinigami, he managed to jump high enough to loop his arms around Ryuk's neck. His feet braced against the chains hanging on Ryuk's belt. Once they had gotten settled, Ryuk used the fur lining on his shirt to cover Light's arms and spread his wings to conceal the rest of Light. Almost as soon as they had prepared, Aizawa reached the top of the stairs. Light pressed close to Ryuk's back as the shinigami stiffened.

"Hey, there," Ryuk said conversationally.

"What are you doing here, shinigami?"

"Just doing my duty."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I killed Light."

Aizawa's eyes widened.

"He asked me to," Ryuk added. "You should have seen the poor kid. He was sobbing about he would rather die than go to prison. He practically **begged** me to end his life, so...I did."

"Please try **not** to make me look pathetic," Light whispered.

"Who is it up there, Aizawa?" Near called.

"Matsuda was right, **for once**, "Aizawa replied. "It's the shinigami."

"I have a name, you know," Ryuk muttered grumpily.

"If he's willing, I'd like to speak with him."

Aizawa looked to Ryuk for an answer.

"Uh, sure," he said hesitantly. "Why not?" Pointing at Aizawa, he added, "You can go down first. I won't kill you behind your back or anything like that." Aizawa raised an eyebrow, but he consented.

As they neared the bottom of the stairs, Light realized a possible danger.

"Ryuk," he hissed. "If not all of the SPK members can see you, and all humans can still see me, then won't someone down there be able to see me through where you would be?"

Ryuk halted and straightened. "Oh, crap. You're right."

"**Now** you think about that."

"Sorry. I'll come up with something."

"That's comforting."

Ryuk called down to Near. "Hey, white-haired kid. What is it you want to talk about?"

"Oh, whatever you're willing to tell me about this whole business. At best, I was hoping you could give me a **full** account of Light's movements as Kira so that I could complete a file on him."

"Heh, is that all?" Ryuk laughed sarcastically. "If **that's** what you want, I can write you a letter. I do have some duties to be getting back to in the shinigami world."

"I see," Near replied. "In that case, would you tell your brethren that we would **appreciate** it if they **stopped** bringing extra Death Notes to our world?"

"Sure, I'll **tell** them, but **I** can't help it if a shinigami thinks playing in the human world is the best way to kill his boredom for a little while."

Before Near could ask any more questions, Ryuk took off through an upper window.

* * *

"So," Ryuk said after several silent minutes of flying above rooftops, "where do you wanna go now?"

"You're leaving it up to me?"

"Well, even though I'm not bound to look after you or anything, I must admit that I've gotten kinda fond of you, so I might as well stick around and show you the ropes."

Light couldn't help but feel a little disgusted by the way Ryuk said "fond," as if Light was an amusing puppy that Ryuk had decided to keep.

"I...don't know where I should go. Somewhere without obvious connections to Kira."

"I guess that means Misa's place is off-limits."

"**Please**," Light scoffed. "As if I would willingly go back to that stupid little girl. I only stayed with her because she was useful to me at the time."

Light put his brilliant mind to work. Where could he easily hide nearby without being found by the police or the SPK? Suddenly, an idea came to him.

"If we can get in, we could use L's old base. As far as I know, no one has used it in several years, so we should be undisturbed there."

"Good idea," Ryuk agreed, altering the tilt of his wings. "I'll get us there in no time. And, you won't have to worry about whether we can get in or not. Shinigami can pass through solid objects, after all."

"You're sure I'll be able to do that?"

"As long as you're with me, you shouldn't have a problem."

Before long, the tall dark skyscraper came into view. As they neared the roof, Light closed his eyes and squeezed Ryuk's neck. The shinigami laughed.

"Not **scared**, are you, Light?"

"Shut up," Light snapped. He squinted through his eyelashes as they passed through ceilings and floors until they reached the main control room. When they touched the dusty floor, Ryuk noted, "You can quit half-choking me now."

"Sorry," Light muttered, unclasping his hands and landing somewhat clumsily. As he sat, a small cloud of dust rose around him.

"Well, here we are," Ryuk sighed.

"Yeah," Light agreed. "So, have you remembered anything important I should know about regarding this whole 'shinigami transformation' thing?"

"Hmm, let's see..." Ryuk tapped his chin with one of his long fingernails. "I guess we could think of it like a checklist of changes to expect." He counted off on his other hand as he continued, "Shinigamis all have wings, for one – wasn't **that** the perk you really wanted? Also, your eyes will change into those of a true shinigami. Your own personal Death Note will probably just appear at some point. You won't have to sleep or eat anymore, but you still can if you feel like it."

"I'm probably leaving out something," he added, "but I'm sure you'll figure it out as you go."

"Well," Light yawned, stretching, "I guess the 'not-sleeping' part hasn't kicked in yet, cuz I'm exhausted."

"In that case, you should go crash. I'll make sure no one else gets in here."

Light trudged up a few flights of stairs and through a long hallway until he reached his destination. When L had been in charge of the Kira investigation, Light had slept in this room for the short amount of time he hadn't been handcuffed to L. As he opened the door and shuffled across, he couldn't help but think about L – all the trouble he had been, and all the fun.

With these mixed feelings churning in his mind, Light collapsed onto the bed, ignoring the thin layer of dust coating the sheets. As soon as his head hit the welcome softness of the pillows, his eyes closed. The silence was like a lullaby, and within minutes, Light was asleep.

The last conscious thought to cross his mind was a strange one: he had a unexplainable feeling that this shinigami business was going to be a lot more complicated than Ryuk had made it sound.

To be continued...


	2. Part 2

LIGHT YAGAMI, SHINIGAMI IN TRAINING

PART TWO

A beam of morning sunlight filtering through the darkened window fell on Light's face. He twitched in response to the warmth and opened one eye. From the sun's low angle, he deemed that it was just after dawn. When he sat up and stretched, he noticed that his back ached rather painfully.

"That's weird," he mused aloud.

Figuring that he should find Ryuk, Light slid off of the dusty bed and shuffled downstairs. When he entered the investigation room, Ryuk was spinning in L's favorite swivel chair, letting his spindly limbs flail like wheat stalks in the wind.

"Isn't that a little childish for a shinigami?" Light teased.

"I don't care." Ryuk retorted. "I'm bored! And I want some apples!" He leapt out the chair just as it turned to face Light so that he practically hurled himself at his young partner. Light took several steps back to keep Ryuk from landing on top of him.

"What the hell's wrong with you!" Light cried in exasperation.

"Would you go and get some apples? I'm **dying** to have some! **Please**?"

Light could feel a vein in his forehead pulsating with his frustration. "And how am I supposed to do that? All of my money was back at my apartment, and now it's probably in police custody, along with all my other things."

Ryuk leaned back and whined. That stupid shinigami could really be a pain sometimes.

"How 'bout this? I'll go and bring all your stuff here, and then you can get me some apples?"

"Whatever." Light wasn't in much of a mood to formulate a better plan. His head felt heavy, and his back still ached. He had hoped that the pain was from sleeping in an odd position or something, but this pain was...sharper, somehow. It almost felt like his shoulder blades were...stretching. But, that was absurd.

Ryuk flew away in the direction of police headquarters, leaving Light alone. With little else to do, he sat in L's swivel chair. After blowing the dust off of the dark monitor screens, Light saw his reflection, and his heart skipped a beat.

Someone else wouldn't have noticed the slight changes, but Light knew his own face well enough to realize that he **had** changed. His face had paled and hollowed, darkening the shadows under his cheekbones and temples. His hair was now a vibrant, deep red, as if he had dyed it in blood, and his eyes glowed with a inner fire. Altogether, Light liked his new look.

Turning away from his makeshift mirror, Light saw a TV remote lying on the desk. He grabbed it and experimentally pushed the power button. To his surprise, one of the screens buzzed and lit. A news reporter was saying, "-an astonishing announcement from the Japanese police. Kira is dead."

Light pulled his chair closer to the TV. He knew the police would want to release new of his death as soon as possible but...only one day later? They must have desperately wanted to regain the people's confidence.

"Detective Aizawa of the special task force dedicated to defeating Kira told us that he and his partners were forced to kill Kira when he resisted arrest." The reporter sighed. "It would seem that the one so many people believed to be a god...was just a man after all. A 23-year-old man named Light Yagami."

Light's picture from his police ID displayed on the screen next to the reporter as she continued talking about Kira's true identity, but Light had stopped listening. He stared at his photo, then at his reflection in the dark computer screen. After looking back and forth between the two, Light threw his head back and laughed uproariously. Who cared if his identity had been revealed to the world! He now looked different enough to fool any passer-by, and humans wouldn't be seeing him at all before too long. He had nothing to worry about. Light felt quite pleased with himself...until the pain in his back intensified.

Light grit his teeth. He felt like something was stabbing him from the inside of his body. When he tried to lean against the back of the chair, he felt two sharp pricks at his shoulder blades.

"Dammit!" Light stood and paced, hoping to find something to take his mind off of the strange pain. As if in response to this, Ryuk cried in a sing-song voice, "Light-y, I'm home!"

The shinigami landed with his arms full. Setting everything on the floor, Ryuk raised an eyebrow at Light's pacing.

"Something up?"

Light didn't answer. He was worried that if he tried to speak, the pain would make him bite his tongue. Ryuk, however, seemed to understand without words.

"Hey, Light. Take off your shirt."

In another context, Light would have been thoroughly repulsed by that request, but if Ryuk was on to something, Light wasn't about to argue with him. He dropped his shirt next to his foot. Ryuk walked behind him and immediately said, "Thought so."

"What?" Light arched his neck over his shoulder. His eyes widened.

Right where his pain was the most intense, on the inner ends of his shoulder blades, were two black bony protrusions.

"Looks like your wings have started growing." Ryuk always **did** have an annoying habit of stating the obvious.

"I thought..." Light said, "I thought they would just appear all at once, like yours do."

"Well, yeah, but they have to grow the first time. Knew I'd forgotten a little detail."

"**Little**!" Light glared at Ryuk. "Does this pain look '**little**' to you!"

The tall shinigami held up his hands in protest. "Look, I forgot, okay? After a few thousand years, it's all a little fuzzy."

"Forget it," Light grumbled, falling back into L's chair. For some reason, Light suddenly wished L was here. It would at least give him **someone** to talk to other than Ryuk.

_You want to talk? Fine by me._

Light nearly fell out of the chair. Ryuk approached cautiously. "Uh, you okay, Light?"

His mind racing furiously, Light waved off the shinigami. "I'm...fine. I'll go back to bed and hopefully be able to sleep through this wing-growing-thing."

"That's a good idea."

"You should go and get yourself some apples."

"That's an even **better** idea!" Ryuk began searching through the pile of Light's belongings for the wallet. "Don't worry, I'll leave the seller some money. I'm not so low that I'd steal apples. Oh, my apples. I'm coming, my delicious beauties. Apples, apples, apples..."

Light tuned out Ryuk's rambing as he grabbed his shirt and trudged back upstairs. His feet felt like lead. When he was a few floors above Ryuk, he heard that familiar voice again.

_Oh, **finally**! I thought you'd **never** get away from that annoying shinigami!_

Light looked behind him, but nothing was there.

_Ahem, Light? I'm over here._

The voice was coming the direction of the next landing, but Light still didn't see anything. With apprehension gripping his throat like a pair of cold, dead hands, he approached the spot.

"Where are you?" Light asked. "I can't see you."

_Maybe you're just not looking properly. You're a shinigami after all, use your eyes._

Light squinted, and his vision suddenly became tinted red. He blinked several times, and looked again.

It was as if, until that moment, he had been blindfolded. He could see everything in infinitely greater detail. Not only that, but he could also see the wispy form of a young man sitting on the top step.

The newcomer crouched, leaning over his knees. His hair was a matted mess, and his thumb brushed against his lower lip. He looked up at Light, meeting the crimson eyes with his own black ones.

"Hello, Light."

This was a dream, a nightmare, Light was sure of it. There was no way that **he** could really be here...

"Ryuzaki." The name escaped Light as softly as a dying breath.

"In the flesh...or perhaps not so much." L patted the dusty floor next to him. "C'mon, Light, have a seat. I won't bite."

Instead, Light retreated down several stairs. He was tempted to call for Ryuk.

"Don't bother," L said, laughing slightly. "At present, I'm concealing myself from him, so he wouldn't be able to verify my existence to you."

"How?" Light asked, his voice coming out as a high squeak.

"Honestly, Light, haven't you ever seen a ghost before? I wanted to see how all of this Kira business would end, so I stuck around to watch. And, just when I thought the story was over, you and your shinigami friend went and put a twist on **everything**! What an encore!"

If Light was interpreting L's tone correctly, his old nemesis sounded...pleased. He was enjoying this! _Well_, Light thought, _he doesn't __**seem**__ dangerous_.

"Neither did **you** when I started my investigation," L said, as if he was reading Light's mind.

"How are you doing that!"

"It's quite easy actually. I mean, what kind of ghost would I be if I couldn't hear the thoughts of the person I'm haunting?"

"And, what kind of ghost **are** you?"

L smiled mischievously at Light. "The non-lethal kind, I assure you. Anyway, it's not like I **could** kill you, now that you've become a shinigami. Now, **please**, sit down, Light."

His fear slowly melting, Light sat awkwardly next to L.

"You know," L mused nostalgically, "We sat together on a staircase that day, too...the day I died."

"I remember. You insisted on drying my feet, you weirdo. Do you have any idea how gay we would have looked if Misa had been there?"

L snickered. "The thought had never crossed my mind. At the time, I was just trying to make you feel guilty about planning to kill me."

Light turned away from L, crossing his arms. "Bastard."

"You were a bastard first, Kira."

"Shut up."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Light leaning on the railing, and L rocking on his knees. Eventually, L flopped onto his back and looked up at Light from behind. The wings growing out of Light's back were now visible beneath his thin shirt.

"You know, you'll be more comfortable if you leave your shirt off."

Light groaned. "You too! Has this whole building been infiltrated by perverts!"

L rolled on the floor, howling with laughter. Light wondered what had gotten into his frenemy. L had never been this...silly!

"Oh?" L asked, stifling more laughter, "Would you prefer it if I stayed more serious?" He immediately resumed his signature pose and looked at Light for approval. After a couple seconds of awkward silence, L relaxed. "I guess I have become a bit more carefree as a ghost."

"Why are you here, Ryuzaki?"

"I told you," L replied plainly. "I'm haunting you."

"But I'm a shinigami now, so that means you'd have to haunt me for the rest of time."

"Mm, no, only as long as the rest of your existence."

Light raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound like there's a difference between the two."

"You never know," L mused, watching two of his fingers traipse across his knees like a pair of legs. That was the one thing about L that Light truly hated, his tendency to drop hints as if they were empty candy wrappers.

"Come to think of it," L said, following Light's train of thought, "I haven't had any sweets in a while. Maybe that's why I'm so off-kilter." L stood and began walking down the flight of stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"There's a kitchen in the basement. I'm sure I can find something edible in the pantry. You go and sleep; I'll be up in a little while."

As L descended out of sight, Light sighed heavily. Despite his anger, Light was...a little **glad** that L was haunting him. It sounded like something the great detective would do, and it reminded Light of old times, when the whole world was a game, just an over-sized tennis match between Ryuzaki and himself.

Left with little options, Light returned to his room and dozed off, making sure to lie on his stomach so as not to aggravate his back. When he opened his eyes, the room was dark...and L was standing over him.

"Aah!" Light jolted, panting and clutching at his chest. "Don't scare me like that, Ryuzaki!"

L hopped onto the bed, grinning. "I'm haunting you, it's my job to scare you."

"But, seriously, watching me sleep? That's going too far."

"I've been watching you sleep for the past five years. It's nothing new."

"Do you have any idea how much you sound like a pervert!" Light threw a pillow at L, which passed harmlessly through his body.

The detective pretended to act surprised at this, stiffened, and fell onto his side with his tongue lolling. "You got me."

"Quit acting like a toddler already! It's embarrassing just watching you!"

"Aww, but it's such fun!" L pouted, scrambling over the bed to sit uncomfortably close to Light.

"Go away." Light said bluntly.

"Not happening."

"I'll hit you."

"Just try it. I'm a ghost. I can pass through solid objects."

"And I'm a shinigami. So can I."

"Are **you** challenging **me**?" L made a face of mock surprise. "Oh, I'm **so** afraid."

"**That's it!**" Light pounced on L. The two of them rolled onto the floor, kicking, tugging, walloping, and yanking at anything of the other they could reach.

Of course, L won. He managed to get behind Light and elbow him in the shoulder blade. The sharp pain distracted Light long enough for L to pin him to the floor.

"Say 'uncle' three times," L teased.

"Let me up, Ryuzaki!"

"Aw, poor 'widdle 'Wight," L simpered. "You can't even beat me when I'm dead? That's just **sad**."

"Uncle, uncle, uncle! Now, get off of me!"

L immediately released Light and crouched beside him. Light pushed himself into a sitting position and glared daggers at L.

"I never really liked you, Ryuzaki."

"I never really trusted you, Kira."

Light leaned back slightly and stared at the boring ceiling. "I'm really stuck with you, aren't I?"

"Yes."

"That sucks." Light looked at L, and was infuriated to see his nemesis smirking contentedly at him. "You're enjoying yourself immensely, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Light stood and felt his back tenderly. "Are you going to keep saying 'yes' like that?"

"Yes."

Constraining his refueled anger, Light sat on the edge of the bed and pulled off his shirt. Immediately, L scrambled on behind him and stared intently at his back.

"Fascinating."

"Don't say 'fascinating' all Spock-like like that!"

"I can't help it if I'm a super-intellect," L noted, fingering the skin around Light's wing bones.

Light winced. "You really get a kick out of tormenting me, don't you?"

"That's why I'm here," L replied flatly. "Seriously, though, I'm going to be a little jealous when they're fully-grown. Floating around just isn't the same as flying."

L put a hand on Light's shoulder and pulled him around to face him. "I'm very excited to see how all of this is going to turn out."

Light brushed off L's hand. He sighed. "I don't get you, Ryuzaki. You say that you hate me, but you want to stick by my side, potentially for all eternity. What do you want from me?"

Before L could answer, Ryuk called from down the hall. "Hey, Light! I got apples!"

"Damn," L said, looking in the direction of Ryuk's voice, then turning back to Light. "I'd rather not chance your shinigami friend seeing me at this point, so I'll just hide now."

With that, L sank into the bed and disappeared. Within seconds, Ryuk poked his head into Light's room.

"You feelin' any better?"

"Not really," Light grumbled. "If anything, I feel worse."

"It shouldn't last more than a few days," Ryuk assured him.

"In the meantime," he added, tossing Light an apple, "have one of these."

Light suddenly realized he was hungry. When he took a bite of the apple, he was astonished by how unbelievably delicious it was. The juice running down his throat was like water to a desert. He savored every bite of the crisp, white flesh covered in blood-red skin. He even ate the core.

"I told you so," Ryuk grinned. "There's nothing quite like an apple of the human world."

Light half-nodded in agreement.

"Well...I'm gonna go take a peek at how that white-haired kid and the cops are celebrating at HQ. Should be fun to watch. Wanna come?"

"No, thanks. I'd rather not chance it."

"Suit yourself."

Once Ryuk left, L's ghostly head reappeared above the covers.

"Good, he's gone," he sighed, extricating the rest of his body from the bed. Crouching opposite Light, he let a few beats pass before asking, "Light, would you like to know my real name?"

Light stared at L. "Why would it matter? You're already dead."

"It's Lawliet. L Lawliet."

"What kind of name is that?"

"It's mine."

"You're telling me that your real first name is 'L'? That's..."

"Weird?" L suggested.

"Infuriating!" Light corrected. "This whole time, I knew half of your real name! If I had just written 'L' in the Death Note and pictured your face, you might have died **right then and there**!"

"But then you would have been incriminated **right then and there**, too."

Light furrowed his eyebrows and leered at L.

"And **that**," he growled, "is why you really piss me off."

"Get used to it," L teased. "I'm not going anywhere. We might as well make this **fun** for each other."

"**Fun**, huh? Oh, don't worry about that, L. I'm going to show you the time of your afterlife."

To be continued...


	3. Part 3

LIGHT YAGAMI, SHINIGAMI IN TRAINING

PART THREE

Light's existence had become hell on earth. Ryuk occasionally popped in to check on him, but the shinigami's attempts to "look after Light" were feeble to say the least. Whenever **Ryuk** wasn't around, L served as Light's tormentor. Light tried to ignore his nemesis by covering his head with a pillow, only to have L jump on him or cause some other annoyance.

"I'll tell Ryuk you're here," Light threatened after one particularly aggravating incident.

"Go ahead," L retorted. "As long as he can't see me, he'll just think you're hallucinating."

This purgatory continued for five days. On the night the pain in Light's back stopped, Ryuk examined him.

"Wow," he noted, slightly awestruck. "Looks good, kid."

"After **all that**, they had better look good!" Light grumbled, walking over to a large window. The reflection in the glass didn't exactly scare Light, but almost. His skin had turned nearly white, and the shadows under his brow made his red eyes stand out like two glowing coals.

He could, at least, consider his wings to be beautiful. The black feathers glistened in the light with a reddish tint, and when he spread them out, they nearly spanned the room with their breadth. Ryuk showed him how to make his wing disappear and reappear, and Light experimented until he could do it with little concentration.

When Ryuk finally left, L slunk out of the shadows.

"They are magnificent," he said, stroking Light's left wing.

"Hey! Don't go petting me!"

"But, it's **so** tempting!" L pouted. Then, regaining his composure, he looked at Light's reflection. "It's interesting..."

"What is?" Light asked.

"Without these wings, anyone would immediately think you are a demon, but with them...one might consider the possibility that you are instead a fallen angel, a former servant of God who has merely lost his way."

"Is there a point to your ramblings?"

"What do you mean? I never ramble! Extensively explain a troubling case, yes. Perform a lengthy investigation based on an outrageous hypothesis, yes. Argue with a homicidal psychopath for hours on end, yes. But, **never** 'ramble.' Honestly, Light, I'm rather **hurt** by that accusation. How could you even insinuate that I would-"

"You're rambling right now."

L froze with his mouth open. Then, he began again, "I merely-"

"Just stop," Light insisted. "You're giving me a headache."

After dismissing his wings, Light flumped face-first onto his bed. He started absentmindedly blowing on some of his vibrantly red bangs. His main focus for the past few days had been getting through the pain of growing wings, and now...he didn't know what he was supposed to do next.

"Well, you could always try going after criminals again," L offered, floating above Light so that they looked at each other upside-down.

"And how am I supposed to do that? I don't have my own Death Note yet, and Near has the only other one I know of! Near...argh, I **hate** that smart-ass little brat!"

"Tres harsh," L said out the side of his mouth. He floated down onto the bed and leaned on one elbow in front of Light.

"But," he added, "to be completely honest, I'm a little pissed myself. Near was able to convict you when I couldn't. It's infuriatingly unforgivable to be beaten by your enemy **and** your protegee!"

L thumbed his lower lip. "Say, Light? How about you and I play a little game?"

Light raised an eyebrow. "What kind of game?"

"I'm want to see what I can make of you, fallen angel."

"Quit talking in riddles and say it outright!"

"Alright, alright," L smiled. "With the shinigami abilities you already have, you could **catch** criminals without **killing** them."

"Why would I-"

"Let me finish. My idea is this: you go around stopping crimes **without** killing the perpetrators until your Death Note appears. If, by that time, I haven't changed your outlook on the meaning of justice, you win. You can kill as many criminals as you please and I'll shuffle off this mortal coil to the undiscovered country. But, if I **have** changed your view of justice, I win, and you must **never** kill another criminal."

Light stared at L in astonishment. "You want me, Kira – the god of the new world – to play **superhero**!"

"In essence, yes."

"And, what if I refuse?"

L scrambled into his usual crouching position as his counted on his fingers. "First, you'll be stuck with me for all time. Second, I'll tell Near about your new condition, which means he'll hunt you as long as you remain in the human world. Third, I'll tell the other shinigami about how you tricked Rem into killing herself, so **they'll** hunt you if you go to the **shinigami** realm."

Light bit his lip. _Damn you, Ryuzaki_, he thought.

"So, is it a bargain?" L held out his right hand and wiggled his fingers at Light, who looked at his nemesis in disgust.

Groaning, Light grasped L's hand. "It doesn't look like I have much of a choice. I'll go along for now, at least."

"Yay!" L grinned at Light, then he stood, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Now that we've gotten **that** settled, I'll go show myself to Ryuk."

"What for?"

"Well, Ryuk's in the investigation room, and I have to use the equipment in there. I'm going to put my brilliant mind to work so that Near won't find us while we play."

"You're...going to **help** me?"

"Sure! After all, what are friends for?"

L half-skipped out the door, humming Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries," while Light gazed after him in utter disbelief.

_What are friends for?_ He wasn't sure if L had just thrown out that phrase as a joke, or...no, L had said flat-out that he had never liked Light. Still, unbidden memories surfaced to Light's mind: that time when L had told Light that he considered Light to be his only friend. Had that just been an act?

Deciding it was better not to dwell on those thoughts, Light leaned against a particularly comfortable pillow and closed his eyes. Before he could even begin to fall asleep, however, Ryuk yelled, "Light! This L guy is driving me **insane**! Help, **please**!"

Grumbling about how whiny Ryuk could get sometimes, Light headed down to the investigation room. L swiveled in his chair, waving his arms like he was on a roller-coaster, while Ryuk cowered in a far corner, covering his ears and muttering, "Go away, go away..." The whole scene looked so ridiculous that Light couldn't help but laugh.

"L," Light commented, regaining his composure, "You **do** realize that your childish behavior is lessening my respect for you by the second, right?"

**That** got L's attention. He immediately stopped spinning and instead ran a finger over the nearest keyboard so that a string of gibberish displayed on the computer screens. Feeling quite pleased with himself, Light turned to Ryuk.

"And what's **your** problem? You're hiding in a corner like a scared child."

"That guy..." Ryuk stuttered, pointing at L, "I never realized it before..."

The elder shinigami stared at his protegee with bulbous red eyes. "He's downright **weird**."

"You **just now** noticed this?"

"Hey, gimme a break. I never paid too much attention to what was going on between you and that guy."

"Are you talking about me over there?" L called playfully. "Anyway, Light, would you come here, please?"

"What now?" Light grumbled as he sat in a chair next to L.

"I've established connections to many cameras throughout the city, such as traffic cameras, store security cameras, and so on."

"So what?"

"**So**, that will make it much easier for you to know where a crime is happening. In the past, you only punished a criminal after he was imprisoned, but now, you'll have to catch him in the act."

Light leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms behind his head and yawning.

"Light, are you listening to me? You agreed to play with me, and I don't intend to let you kick back and relax. Got that?"

"Whatever."

"**Come** **on,** at least **try** to get a little excited!"

Light rolled his eyes. "Oh, **joy**. I get to **not **kill people who deserve to die. **Yay**..."

L slapped his forehead in frustration. "You are as close to hopeless as it gets."

"So why don't you just call this off if it's so hopeless?"

"I said '**close to **hopeless.' I never said anything about giving up. This is just going to be harder than I first anticipated, that's all."

L interlaced his fingers, propping his elbows against his knees. His black eyes flitted across the shimmering sea of computer screens. Light stared at the ceiling, feeling bored and apathetic.

What did L think this stupid game would prove? Light **knew** his own destiny: he would become the god of the new world, Kira, the enforcer of justice.

"Your delusions of grandeur are amusing to say the least," said L, commenting on Light's thoughts. He then returned to his perusal of the computers, the many light sources reflecting off his glassy eyes.

"Now that the police have publicly announced Kira's death," L continued, "it's only a matter of time before the crime rate skyrockets. Without Kira to punish them, criminals will become bolder. That's why I'm not pleased that the police announced it so quickly. They should have waited until they had devised their own methods of suppressing crime. It's what I would have done, were I still **alive** and in charge of the Kira investigation."

Suddenly, L leaned forward toward one of the screens. "Here we are. I believe this man here is attempting a carjacking."

Light stared at L in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me."

"All heroes have to start somewhere."

"I'm not a hero. I'm a god."

L threw Light a side-glance. "A god of death, perhaps."

"Here," he added, tossing Light an earpiece. "I'll give you instructions to get there."

The detective waved his hand at Light in a sign of farewell. Wishing he knew how to kill a ghost, Light stomped out of the room. Since flying was his only available method of travel, he headed toward the fire-escape, name-calling L at the top of his voice the whole way.

Even the biting winter air was not enough to cool his temper. Figuring he might as well get this stupid thing over with, Light launched himself into the sky. Just as he reached the peak of his jump, his wings extended, catching the passing wind currents. Within seconds, Light was gliding as smoothly as any bird.

"Enjoying yourself?" L's voice buzzed out of the earpiece.

"Maybe," Light responded apathetically.

"Head to your left, then take the fourth right."

"Whatever."

"You're determined to make this miserable for both of us, aren't you?"

Light laughed sarcastically. "What was your first clue?"

It didn't take him long to find the carjacking. The culprit had only just convinced the owner to get out of the car when Light appeared. Deciding this was one way he could vent, he swooped low, dashing inbetween cars, and brought his knee up in a swift kick to the thug's jaw. The force of Light's attack sent the carjacker flying into a light-pole with a resounding clang. Light hovered over the scene for long enough for people to start noticing him. One of them even whipped out a cell phone to take a picture, but Light dashed away quickly enough to ensure that the resulting image was only a blur. If he was going to get anything out of this stupid agreement, it was to let the world know that Kira was not as dead as they might think.

* * *

After four days worth of Light's "heroics," the press really began to take notice. All of their theories were outlandish, and none of them were even vaguely connected to Kira, much to Light's disappointment. L found the whole thing quite hilarious, and even went so far as to suggest that Light encourage the more ridiculous ideas. At that, Light proceeded to strangle L, with little success.

"You are beyond infuriating!" Light cried in exasperation, turning his heel on L and heading for the elevator.

"Where are you going?" L asked, rubbing his neck.

"Outside."

Ryuk poked his head out of his new favorite corner. "What for, Light? You'll be seen!"

"I know that. I'm... I..." Light bit his lip.

"You want to try and have a 'normal' moment."

Light glared at L. "Don't go reading my mind without permission!"

L smiled. "I get it. Go on. Just don't cause **too** much trouble, alright?"

"I'll **try** to contain myself," Light retorted as he turned a corner in the hallway. As he waited for the elevator, he punched a wall to relieve some of his anger.

_How dare he? How dare he look into my mind like that! I can't let him do this anymore! If only I knew how to block him!_

Only when he reached the front door did Light emerge somewhat from his gloomy thoughts. Even though he had only been a shinigami for a little more than a week, humans already felt... strange to him, a race of beings he couldn't quite understand anymore. Taking a deep breath, Light opened the door and stepped into the street, not caring where his feet led him. As he walked, small flakes of snow began to drift down from the gray sky. When one landed on Light's cheek, he noticed something, something which terrified him.

Even in this freezing weather, he felt no colder than he had inside L's base. Light breathed on his hands, but couldn't feel the warmth of his own breath. Ryuk hadn't told him about this; was it possible that shinigami were so cold toward humans because they themselves were incapable of feeling warmth?

Before Light could think any more about it, he heard a scream. Out of the habits L had drilled into him the past few days, Light immediately began searching for the source of the noise. Finally, he saw a man roughly dragging a girl into an alley.

_Well_, Light thought, _now that I've noticed, I can't just stand here. After all, I am justice. Criminals must be punished, even if their final judgment must be postponed until my Death Note appears._

Light approached calmly, at his leisure. It was no fun if his victims saw him coming. The side-street they were on was otherwise deserted, so Light wouldn't have to worry about an audience. When he reached the alley-way, the man was yanking the girl's coat off with a hungry look in his eyes.

In the span of a heartbeat, Light had rushed forward and pulled the man away from the girl. Holding the culprit a foot off the ground by his throat, Light cracked the man's skull hard against the opposite brick wall. Light dropped his victim onto the hard pavement, flecks of blood staining the accumulating snow.

Light paused to admire his work. After a moment, a soft voice came from behind him.

"E...excuse me..."

Light turned to see the girl he had saved. She looked around seventeen. She had a small frame, black hair, and brown eyes – nothing too special, but something about the way she was looking at him made Light double-take. Was this girl in **awe** of him?

"Thank you," she said in that soft voice, bowing respectfully.

If Light had still had human blood, he might have blushed. The next thing he knew, the girl had approached him, cautiously, but determinedly.

"Please...are you the one they've been talking about on the news?"

_Run_, Light told himself. _Get out of here! You don't need to talk to this girl!_ But, for some reason, Light couldn't force his legs to move.

"Please tell me...who are you?"

Suddenly, Light saw his opportunity and decided to take it. He looked down into the girl's shining brown eyes and parted his lips in a mischievous smile.

"I am Kira."

To be continued...


	4. Part 4

LIGHT YAGAMI, SHINIGAMI IN TRAINING

PART FOUR

The girl stared at Light with eyes big as saucers.

"Kira? You?" she said at last.

Light did not respond; he stood still, waiting.

Then, in a heartbeat, the girl's look of shock changed to one of joy. Before Light realized what was happening, she had wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him enthusiastically.

"I knew it!" She cried, trembling with excitement. "I knew you couldn't really be dead! I knew you wouldn't abandon us, Kira!"

This girl was a fan of Kira! Light could hardly believe his luck. This was just the sort of opportunity he needed.

"So, um," he began, "What's your **name**?"

The girl looked up into his eyes. Light knew his question was a big gamble. She must have known that he needed a name to kill a person. Would she trust him?

"Akasuki Arisu," the girl said calmly. She paused, then asked, "Kira, is it true that your name is really 'Light'?"

"Why would you ask that?" Light was starting to feel a little uncomfortable being hugged by Akasuki, but he didn't want to scare her off by phasing through her arms.

"Well, since you aren't dead, that made me wonder if the police made up your real identity, but..." She squinted slightly as she looked at his face.

"No, you're definitely the same person from the photo they showed on TV. Oh, wow, I've really found you, Kira!"

She nuzzled her cheek against Light's chest and sighed.

"Uh..." Light stammered. "Could you...let go of me, please?"

Akasuki immediately pulled her arms back as if she had touched a hot stove. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Forgive me!" She bowed submissively to Light and closed her eyes, as if expecting some kind of punishment for her display of affection.

At that moment, Light realized something. Akasuki was fully prepared for him to kill her. She had thrown herself at him, well-aware that it might cost her her life. On the whole, she impressed Light. She wasn't silly like Misa had been, but there was an innocence in her all the same. He was going to enjoy toying with her.

"Look, Akasuki, I'm not mad," he began, using a much softer tone.

She blushed when he said her name. Light walked toward her and clasped one of her hands between his own.

"Why don't we find somewhere better to talk?"

"Um, okay," she said in a small voice, her face glowing with happiness.

Light led her to a bench sheltered from the snow by overhanging tree branches, a picturesque scene for what he had in mind. After making sure that Akasuki sat close to him, Light began.

"So, Akasuki, you seem overjoyed to find me. Why is that?"

"Because of what you've done, what you're doing. I know that most people think you're no more than a serial killer, but...I can see _why_ you're doing all of this."

She paused to breathe. "And, when the police said you were dead, I felt horrible. I had defended you, and people had shunned me because of it, and... then the person who had been a symbol of justice to me was suddenly gone. I didn't know what to do.

"But," she concluded, "you're back now. You can make everyone who defied you in your absence pay, and create a better world."

Light stared at Akasuki, hardly believing his ears. Her words were proof of her undying belief in and loyalty to Kira. Now, Light was certain he could use her to his advantage.

"Akasuki, would you like to help me?"

Her eyes widened, and her hand gripped Light's in excitement.

"Are you serious? That would mean...everything to me! How can I help?"

"As you said, I need to punish those who dared to defy me. But...I am temporarily unable to use the full extent of my power against them."

"What? Why?"

Light had expected that. Akasuki was playing into his hands. He told her **everything**, from the day he found the Death Note to the present. As he talked, her eyes never left his. Light couldn't help but smile; she was reacting just as he'd hoped. He could imagine what she must be thinking: _Kira is telling me his secrets. He actually trusts me this much. He thinks I'm special._

When he had finished, Akasuki squeezed his hand. "I understand now, Light. You're considering the possibility that L can actually persuade you to his side. That's why you need me. As long as you have a loyal follower at your side, you won't falter."

Once again, Light could hardly believe what he was hearing. Akasuki had actually **surprised** him. He hadn't said a word about that one secret fear. She had figured that out just by listening to him.

She was just the person he needed as his trump card.

"That's exactly right," he said, smiling. "Does it sound like something you can handle?"

"Of course!" Akasuki cried without hesitation. "I would do **anything** for you, Light."

There it was again; she had used his human name. Somehow, it comforted him to hear her say it. It was proof that not all of his humanity had been taken from him. As if in response to this thought, Akasuki rested her head against Light's chest.

"This is really happening." She whispered. "I've really been granted the honor of helping a god."

She knew he could snap her neck in an instant, but she still wasn't afraid of him. Light had never encountered such a curious girl, but he took her as a sign that he was in the right. He was justice. He was Kira.

And not even the great detective L could persuade him otherwise.

After arranging a time and date for their next meeting, Light returned to L's headquarters.

* * *

"Where have you been for the past three hours?" L asked the moment Light entered the investigation room.

"Walking," Light replied tersely.

Before L could have the opportunity to start rifling through Light's mind, he added, "I've been thinking, L."

"Really?" L's voice dripped with sarcasm. "That's quite an achievement."

Light grit his teeth, but continued. "I **mean** that I've been thinking about what you've been saying for the past few days."

**Now** L was interested. He spun around to face Light, tapping his fingers on his kneecaps.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I've come up with some terms of my own for our little game."

L interlocked his fingers, resting his thumbs against either side of his chin. "Do tell."

"I'll do what you ask of me, go where you tell me, **all** of it, without another complaint. I'll even listen to what you say with an open mind."

"Mm..." L mused. "And what is the catch for such compliance?"

Light glared at his opponent. "You have to swear on Ryuk's Death Note that you will never read my thoughts again."

L pondered that for a few minutes. Finally he asked. "Why Ryuk's Death Note?"

"It's power will hold you to your promise."

"Well, then," L reasoned, standing and approaching Light, "It's only fair for you to swear on it too."

Light didn't respond; he was focusing on keeping his mind blank. L seemed to realize this and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you trying to hide from me?"

"Nothing. I just don't like it when you pick through my brain, that's all."

L stared intently at Light. When the latter had no reaction to this intimidation, he sighed. "I still don't trust you, Light, but...if you'll swear on the Death Note too, then I'll agree to your terms."

"I have no problem with that." Light's immediate response made L raise an eyebrow again, but he shrugged and turned to Ryuk.

"Have you been listening, shinigami?"

"I have a name, ya know!" Ryuk shouted indignantly, "but, yeah, I have. Here ya go."

Ryuk tossed his Death Note to L like a Frisbee. The detective caught it with one hand, while not daring to take his eyes off of Light. Even when L held it out, Light could see that L had a firm grip on the notebook; he wasn't taking any chances.

"Go on, Light," L encouraged. "You can touch it."

When Light's fingertips brushed against the Death Note, he could feel the power it held flowing up his arm, strengthening his resolve. Light returned L's intense gaze as he spoke.

"I swear to listen to you without retort or complaint according to the rules of our game."

The air around the Death Note turned red as blood. L's voice did not waiver as he said his part.

"And I swear to strictly respect your mental privacy under the same conditions."

The crimson glow snaked around their right wrists, solidifying into handcuffs linked by a long chain. The deal was made.

"Well," L noted, flinging the Death Note back to Ryuk, "I'm glad we've found a compromise of sorts."

Holding up his right hand, he added, "The handcuffs are certainly nostalgic, to say the least."

He walked back to his chair, a distance that should have forced Light to be dragged behind him. However, additional links formed from the red aura of the chain so that it dangled on the floor, just long enough that Light didn't have to move at all.

"Hmm, that's convenient," L observed. "At least this way, I won't be stuck with you 24/7."

Light laughed softly. "**That's** something we can agree on."

Once L had re-situated himself in his chair and turned his back, Light grinned in satisfaction. Ryuk noticed and tip-toed over to Light.

"What's with that face?" he whispered.

"You'll see soon enough," Light replied.

He had outsmarted his worthy opponent. Now that L couldn't read his mind, Light need have no fear of discovery. True, he had made himself more vulnerable to L's influence, but, as long as he had Akasuki, he wouldn't lose.

Everything was going just as he had planned.

To be concluded...


	5. Part 5

LIGHT YAGAMI, SHINIGAMI IN TRAINING

PART FIVE

Light soon realized the full extent of what L meant when he said, "I don't intend to let you kick back and relax." L would call on him at odd hours of the day to catch criminals or else to have lengthy discussions on the morals of humanity. If Light tried to avoid these summons, the chain connecting him to L would tense and contract, forcing him to report for duty.

However, this was a small price to pay. Light had lulled his opponent into a false sense of security. As far as L knew, Light had decided to be compliant, possibly even to just give up. L would be confident enough in his own powers of persuasion to believe that he had won Light over to his side of the argument. And **that** was exactly what Light wanted him to think.

Perhaps because he was now having Light's full cooperation, L was more lenient about letting Light wander around outside. This allowed Light to meet Suki – Light had discovered that nicknames worked wonders on a woman – even more often than he had first anticipated.

The time he spent with her was...enjoyable. Nevertheless, he could tell that she always kept in the back of her mind the reality that he could kill her at any time. Such a thought should have created tension between them; instead, Suki took it as an opportunity to make the most of her time with Light.

"I'll understand if you have to kill me," she told Light one evening. "But, because of that, I want to be as close to you as I can, while I can. Is that wrong?"

"No," he assured her. She rested her forehead against his neck. For a moment, Light wished he could feel her warmth; he wondered if she noticed how cold his skin was.

"Light..." she whispered.

"Yes?"

"Oh, I was just saying your name. It's so...perfect. So fitting. In this dark world of corruption and cruelty, you have been the light which reveals the flaws that need to be removed."

Light let a partial smile show on his face. Suki knew just how to put his feelings into words. That was the thing he had grown to love about her; of course, not that Kira could ever **truly** love a mere human.

"Light, I think it's going to happen soon."

"Hmm? What?"

"The time you've been waiting for, of course. Your Death Note is going to appear soon; I'm sure of it. And then, you can destroy L and all of the others who refused to follow you."

"Really?" Light wondered. "And how are you sure of that?"

"It's just a hunch, really. Kind of like when you have a moment of deja vu."

"Is that so? Well, I'll pay extra attention in the near future."

Suki lifted her head so that her face was only inches from his. "Light?"

"Yes, Suki?"

"When you get your Death Note, will you kill me?"

Light raised an eyebrow.

"Is that a request?"

"I want to do whatever it takes for you to win against L. If that means I have to die, I'm willing."

"I don't think I've ever met a human so ready to die."

"You've never met a human so dedicated to your cause."

She paused. "You didn't answer my question, Light."

"As long as you're willing, does it matter?"

"It would be somewhat reassuring to know."

"Well, then, let me reassure you."

Light leaned forward and kissed her. He could feel Suki's heart race as she embraced him in return. After a long moment, he pulled back slowly.

"Does that help?"

Suki sighed. "It's not a definite answer, but I suppose I won't get anything clearer than that, even if I ask nicely. That would go against the way you are."

This time, Light genuinely smiled. _How?_ he thought. _How can you understand me so well? Even L, who could see my very thoughts, could never understand me as you do._

Even though Light had felt less prone to sleeping recently, when he returned to L's HQ late that night, he flopped onto his bed and fell asleep within minutes. Suki's words echoed through his head.

_Your Death Note is going to appear soon; I'm sure of it. And then, you can destroy L and all of the others who refused to follow you... When you get your Death Note, will you kill me?"_

Light woke to L shaking him.

"Light! Light! Get up, now!"

Reluctantly opening his eyes, Light saw a look of surprise and - was that fear? - on L's face. As his senses returned to him, Light's fingers brushed something. When he looked at what he had touched, his heart skipped a beat.

It was a Death Note. **His** Death Note. Light picked it up gingerly, as if he expected it to crumble to dust any second. L whistled in amazement.

"Quite a sight to behold."

Light stood, clutching the notebook to his chest.

"I don't care what it looks like; it's a Death Note. All that's important is that it works...and that it's **mine**." As he held it close, Light could feel its power surging through him. _Yes_, he thought, _it's mine. Now, I can finally take my full revenge on you, L._

"Yes, "L replied, "It is yours, and that leads us to the climax of our game, doesn't it? A pity, really; it was so entertaining."

"Sorry to spoil your fun, but, as they say, all good things must come to an end."

"Indeed." L's tone conveyed skepticism, but Light did not betray any further sign of his true intentions.

"So, then, L..."he said calmly, "How can I officially end this?"

"Hmm," the detective pondered for a moment, and an idea occurred to Light: Had L purposely **not** planned this stage of the game? Did he intend to **keep** Light as his lackey? That thought infuriated Light, only increasing his determination to defeat his enemy.

"I don't know," L said at last. "To be honest, I didn't think this far ahead, since I had no idea how much time I would be given to work with you."

"But, surely," Light reasoned, "With your superior level of intellect, you wouldn't need much time at all to convince me that your point of view is the right one."

L tilted his head; his eyes gleamed with tension and suspicion. "Are you trying to flatter me, Light? That's either very generous of you, or very stupid."

"Hopefully the former," Light replied, momentarily showing half a smile. "Since you haven't thought of a way to finish this game, it's a good thing I have."

"Oh?"

Light took a deep breath; from here on out, he was betting everything on this.

"I've been...in contact with a girl, Akasuki Arisu. She is an avid follower of Kira, so I have a feeling that she can help us decide who will win our contest."

"I see..." L thumbed his lower lip in thought. After a few moments of silence, L looked up at Light with his black, penetrating eyes. "Alright, then, Light. Go and get this Akasuki, but...leave your Death Note here...with me."

Light's fingers clenched around his notebook, but he handed it to L and walked calmly from the room. Once he was out of sight, he ran – downstairs, out the front door, and along the streets – until he reached Suki's apartment. When he knocked, she responded immediately.

"Light, is something wrong? You normally don't call at this time of-"

"I got it, "Light explained. "My Death Note."

Suki's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Really? Where? Can I see it?"

"L has it at the moment," Light grumbled, "but...Suki, now's the time for you to help me, just like you've wanted."

She gulped and met Light's eye without fear. "I'll do whatever you ask of me, Light."

Light smiled, took her hand and lead her back to L's base. When they entered the investigation room, L was swiveling in his throne-like chair, dangling Light's Death Note in the air with two fingers, as if it contained a fatal disease.

"You're back sooner than I expected," he noted coolly, swinging the notebook back and forth like a pendulum. Looking at Suki he added, "Well, she certainly is a young little thing, isn't she? I didn't know you went for that kind of girl, Light."

Suki blushed, but Light gripped her hand and faced L. "She's just an obedient believer in my old way of life; it's only natural for her to follow me around some."

L bobbed his head in halfhearted agreement. "So, then, Light...what is you ingenious plan?"

"Give me my Death Note back."

"Not until you tell me your plan."

"I'll tell you when you give me my Death Note."

"Your plan first."

Light gritted his teeth; he hadn't expected this hiccup, but it wouldn't really matter in the end. He could allow L to revel in his position of power for a little longer.

"It's simple really," Light explained. "If I had changed, then I'd destroy that Death Note. Since I haven't used it, I haven't even come into full ownership of it yet."

"But, even if you destroyed it, you could always go steal the one that Near has."

"No, I couldn't. When we swore on Ryuk's Death Note, all the aspects of our contest were made into a contract, forcing us to follow through on our promises. If I destroyed that notebook, I'd be admitting your victory, which would prevent me from killing ever again."

L remained skeptical. "I suppose... I must admit I have seen evidence of changes in you for the better, but you're clever enough to fake that."

He paused. "I will only surrender if you have a way of proving to me that none of my words have affected you, that you will go to any lengths to remain Kira."

Suki tensed. Light remembered her words: _I want to do whatever it takes for you to win against L. If that means I have to die, I'm willing_. She knew what must be done, and she was ready.

"You want proof?" Light asked playfully. "Hand me my notebook, and I'll give you some."

L hesitated, then sighed, as if to say, "In the end, will it even matter?" He tossed the Death Note across the room, and Light caught it easily. Letting go of Suki's hand, he pulled a pencil out of his pocket and flipped open the notebook.

"What are you going to do?" L demanded. "Killing any common criminal won't be enough for me. If you truly want to be Kira, you have to be willing to kill anyone, everyone. Could you really live with such guilt?"

L looked up from the blank pages of his notebook and smirked at L. "What do you mean? I'm already dead, aren't I? Living with guilt is no problem. I'd ask you how you'll be able to stand there and let me kill someone, but I'd only have the same argument thrown in my face."

"So...who are you going to kill, Light?"

"According to your reasoning – and it's correct, for once – I have to be willing to kill **anybody**. Well, I am." He paused. "Why else do you think I brought Suki here?"

L's eyes widened. "You would kill your own follower? Someone you have confided in and trusted?"

"Why not? Suki knows what I'm willing to do, and she's happy to help me."

L stared at Suki in disbelief.

"He's right," Suki said calmly, smiling defiantly at L. "Light is going to beat you right here, and I going to help him do it. I have the honor of securing Kira's victory, giving him full dominion over this world so that he can transform it."

L floated off of his chair and hovered in front of Light, trying to comprehend his enemy, to understand.

"You can't," Light responded to L's intent gaze. "No matter how much you mull it over in that oversized brain of yours, you cannot begin to understand me and my goals. You were a worthy opponent in life, I'll give you that, but now...you're worse than pathetic. I won this final round so easily, it makes me laugh."

"You haven't won yet, Light," L noted. "You haven't written her name, and until you do, there's still a chance for you to reconsider."

"I'm going to, don't you worry!"

"Are you? I can't help but feel that you are close to this girl, closer than you've ever been with anyone. Even though you say I can never understand you, and maybe you're right, this girl is different. She does understand you...and you love her because of it."

Light felt an unbidden lump form in his throat. What nonsense was L spouting now? He, **Kira**, love an average, normal, lowly human being! The idea was absurd, inconceivable...and true. He did care for Suki more deeply than he had for anyone in his life, and part of him was screaming, pleading, _Don't kill her! There has to be someone else! Anyone else!_

"There..." L smiled. "I can see doubt in your eyes, Light. What are you going to do?"

Light's eyes flitted around the room, desperate for an answer. What **was** he going to do? At one point, he noticed a clock that read 8:54. Finally, his gaze landed on Suki. She was crying silently, and the sight made Light want to tear his Death Note to shreds.

But then, he realized something; she was still smiling. Her eyes shone not only with tears, but also with pride, determination, and acceptance. Finally, she spoke in a quiet voice.

"It's okay, Light. Do it; it's okay."

Light's hand trembled as he held the pencil an inch above the page. Suki walked in front of him slowly, passing through L's hazy form. She placed her hand on Light's wrist and willed him to touch the tip of the pencil to the paper. Even with tears streaking her face, Light knew this was what she really did want; and that was enough.

Light's hand steadied. He gazed into Suki's eyes, taking in their radiance for the last time. Then, he dragged the pencil across the page, forming characters, words, a sentence.

_Akasuki Arisu will die painlessly at 9:00 A.M. today._

L let out a long sigh. "You...actually did it."

Light glared at him in defiance, but the words came out shakily. "Was there every any doubt?"

"You've beaten me."

"Yes, I have."

L looked at Light with pity. "I had hoped I could change you...but it seems that you are a demon after all."

"That's right!" Light yelled. "Now...get out! Leave me alone! Never come back, you hear me!"

L backed away, and his form began to fade into smoke.

"I still think you'll have some regrets at the end of this, Light."

"I'm a god," Light retorted. "Gods don't have regrets."

Only the ghost's face remained distinguishable from the mist of his dissolving spirit.

"Is that so? Then...why are you crying?"

With that, L vanished.

Light looked at the clock just at the hands rotated to 8:59. He trembled so violently that the Death Note slipped off of his hand and onto the floor. He stared at Suki, silently begging for her forgiveness, but she smiled warmly at him and wiped his eyes with a caressing hand.

"Oh, stop that, Light. It's okay. Nothing can stop you now; that's what's important, right? You can create our new world. I only wish...that I could have been there to see it."

Light watched the tortuous seconds pass: 50, 51, 52...

He pulled her close to him, stroking her hair with a quivering hand. 53, 54, 55...

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cold neck, whispering words of comfort and reassurance. 56, 57, 58, 59...

Even after the moment had passed, Light remained in the same spot, holding her. Finally, he dared to look.

From the peaceful expression on her face, she could have been sleeping. For so long, she had wanted to help Kira, and now that she had been given that chance, she was content. Light kissed her forehead and laid her gently on the floor. Unable to control himself any longer, Light threw his head back and screamed, trying to convey an agony more painful than any death.

Ryuk showed up eventually, but nothing he could say would comfort Light. Finally, the shinigami decided to return to his own world, saying he would be back when Light stopped being so boringly depressed and made the human world fun again.

A long time after Ryuk was gone, Light picked up his Death Note. Once he looked at this extension of his will, he knew what he needed to do. As he stood, he felt his inner fire blazing anew. Suki had sacrificed herself so that he could continue his calling, and he would **not** let that sacrifice be for nothing.

* * *

Police were baffled when criminals began to die of heart attacks once again. Citizens demanded to know why their governments had lied to them, resulting in widespread riots. Chaos began to consume entire nations. Throughout the panic, there was one name on everyone's lips: _**Kira**_.

* * *

As he alighted on the rooftop of a burning skyscraper, he surveyed the carnage around him. It was like looking at a wheat-field ripe for harvest. Only by burning the guilty could the truly innocent be purified, and now, his plan was finally reaching its fruition. Like a conductor leading an orchestra, he wrote names in his notebook, reveling in the screams coming from the crowd below as people dropped dead like the animals they were. The cries of pain were soothing to him, every new voice in its agonizing last moments adding to the fear the humans would have of him.

He remembered that someone had once said it is better to be feared than to be loved. In his case, he believed the phrase needed amending. _When you're a god of justice in an unjust world_, he thought, _your only option is to be feared, so you might as well enjoy it_.

Love. It was a human weakness, an unnecessary emotion. He had only needed to feel it once to know all of its joys...and pains. Now, he would never love again. All that remained was his goal, and that was all that was important.

He felt the presence of another shinigami even before it landed next to him.

"Whoa," Ryuk said in awe. "Looks like you've been busy, Light."

"Indeed I have," Light replied, giving his fellow demon a smile fitting of a god of death.

"I'm glad you're back, Ryuk. You're just in time for some of your favorite entertainment."

THE END


End file.
